India’s demand for 6 and 7-seaters has significantly increased in recent years. The increasing sales of SUVs and MPVs highlights the affinity of Indians to own a big, practical, yet value-for-money vehicle. Capitalising on this trend, manufacturers are keen on bringing new 7-seaters to the Indian market. Many customers are looking for SUVs and MPVs with three rows, so they can transport big families around comfortably. There were many such vehicles launched in our market in 2021, and there will be many more releases in 2022. Here are some upcoming 7-seaters that might interest you:
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga
The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga will be redesigned this year, and the refreshed vehicle has already been sighted on Indian roads. The MPV’s changes will be restricted to the front grille, with the remainder staying the same. Ertiga is powered by a 1.5-litre normally aspirated petrol engine with 105 PS of power and 138 Nm of torque.
Mahindra Scorpio
Mahindra & Mahindra’s next-generation Scorpio has been the subject of many leaked spy photos in recent months. The new Scorpio is expected to feature improved mechanicals and greater overall dimensions than the outgoing generation. Both the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engines of the upcoming Mahindra Scorpio are believed to come from the same family as Thar and XUV700 but will be tuned differently.
Maruti Suzuki XL6
A fully-camouflaged test mule was recently observed testing on the road in India, indicating that Maruti Suzuki is working on a facelift version of the XL6 for the Indian market. The only alterations are a new front grille, reworked bumpers, and new alloy wheels. It is driven by the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that powers the Ertiga, providing 105 PS of power and 138 Nm of torque.
Jeep Meridian
In India, the Jeep Meridian has just been launched and the vehicle is slated to be available soon. Like the Jeep Compass, it will be powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine with 170 PS of power and 350 Nm of torque. There will be a 6-speed manual and a 9-speed automatic transmission available. The inside of the SUV will be similar to that of the Compass but in a different colour.
Toyota Rumion
Toyota is planning to debut the Rumion, a rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, in India in the first half of 2022. Rumion will be driven by the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that powers the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, providing 105 PS of power and 138 Nm of torque. Toyota Rumion is already available on the market in South Africa.
